Automatic pressure-controlling apparatus



NOV. 4, 1930. EVANS 1,780,583 I AUTOMATIC PRESSURE CONTROLLING APPARATUSFiled Sepi. s, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 4,1930. 5 K, EVANS AUTOMATICPRESSURE CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 8, 1928' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2gmew toz EKEr a r2 5 v Patented Nov. 4, 1930 ERWIN KENT EVANS, F HOLLANDPATENT, NEW YORK AUTOMATIC PRESSURE-CONTROLLING APPARATUS Applicationfiled September 8, 1928. Serial No. 304,664.

This invention relates to mechanical re- 7 frigerators and it isprimarily. an object of the, invention to provide an apparatus of thischaracter wherein air under pressure is em-- ployed as the motii eforce, together with means under controlof the rise and fall of thetemperature within the refrigerator for controlling the action of suchcompressed air. It is also an object of the invention to provide adevice of this kind wherein the com:

pressor as comprised in the refrigerating unit is in driven connectionwith a motor, said motor being operated by air under pressure, togetherwith means operating under thermo changes for controlling the operationof such motor.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a unit for amechanical refrigerator which can. be employed to advantage in suchlocalities where electricity is -not available and -which apparatus isalso 'particularly adapted for use on the'farm.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in thecombination and arrangement of the several parts of my improvedmechanical refrigerator whereby certain important advantages areattained and. the device rendered simpler, less expensive I andotherwise more convenient and advantasons for use, as will behereinafter more lly set forth. The novel features of my invention willhereinafter be definitely claimed.

In orderthat my invention may he the 'in a'controlling valve structure Vwhich is 85 better understood, I will now proceed to describe the sameWith reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is adiagrammatic view illustrating a refrigerating unit assembled inaccordance with an embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged view in elevation illustrating the means asherein employed for controlling the delivery of the motive force to theengine incident to the thermo changes;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 ofFigure 2; a

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view partly in section and partly in elevationillustrating the pressure control as herein employed;

Figure 5 is a View in elevation of the valve interposed'in the air lineunapplied.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, C denotes a compressor ofanydesired 7 type which is employed in connection with 5-- mechanicalrefrigeration and which is in driven connection through the medium of abelt 1 or the like with a motor M. This motor M may be a turbine orotherwise as preferred and is of a type to be readily operated by airunder pressure. This air is delivered as required to the motor M throughthe pipe line Pklcading from a tank T containing a supply of air underpressure. This tank T may have the required air compressed 05 therein inany way preferred, as by a compressor driven by a gas engine orotherwise. r

The pipe line P has interposed therein a reducing valve 2 of any desiredkind which serves to assure the delivery of the air to the motor M at adesired pressure less than the pressure within the tank T. For example,the pressure Within the tank T may be two thousand pounds whereas it mayonly require fifty pounds pressure to operate the motor The pipe line Phas interposed therein between the tank T andthe valve 2 a pressuregauge 3 to indicate the degree of pressure within the tank T and to theopposite side of the valve 2 the pipe line P has so interposed therein apressure'gauge 4 so that by it may be readily determined the pressure ofthe air being conveyed to the motor M.

The pipe line P also has interposed thereadapted to be automaticallyoperated to open and close the pipe line in a manner to be by a link 8with an outstanding arm 9 carried by a U-shaped member or yoke 10. Thismember or yoke 10 has its free extremities pivotally connected, as at11, with a pair of spaced parallel plates 12 carried by a supportingbracket 14 herein disclosed as mounted directly upon the compressor C.

The side plates 12 have their outer or free end portions bifurcated toprovide spaced arms 15 between which moves or swings the intermediatebar a of the memberor yoke 10 whereby the extent of swinging movement ofthe member or yoke 10 is limited in both directions by contact of themember or cross bar a with either of the arms 15. The central portion ofthe cross bar a of the member or yoke 10 is provided with an inwardlydirected tongue or lug 16 which is telescopically received Within an endportion of an expanding coil spring 17, the opposite end of said springbeing anchored, as at 18, to an end portion of an elongated arm 19. Thisarm 19 at a desired point intermediate its ends is supported. forswinging movement upon a pin 20 bracing the space between the plates 12closely adjacent to their inner ends; The arm 19 atits portion mountedupon the pin 20 is'provided with a cross bar 21, the rear edges of whichbeing oppositely beveled from the longitudinal center thereof, as inl.dicated at?) in Figure 2. The angles of the bevels b are such asto'limit the swinging movement of the arm 19 in either direction bycontact with the adjacent member 22 of the supporting bracket or frame14.

The outer end portion of the arm 19 is operatively connected, as at 23,with an end portion of a lever 24. This lever 24 at a desiredpoint-intermediate its ends is supported for rocking movement'by an arm25' herein disclosed as mounted directly upon the compressor C. Theopposite end portion of the lever 24 is operatively connected throughthe medium of a link 26 with the outer end portion of a stem 27comprised in the pressure control. This pressure control includes acylinder 28 interposed in the refrigerant line 29 and in communicationtherewith.

Working in ,the cylinder 28 is a piston 30 carried by the inner orinserted end portion of thestem'27. Arranged within the cylinder 28 andinterposed between the piston 30 and the outer end or head 3l of thecylinder 28 is a coil spring 32 of a predetermined tension and whichnormally maintains the piston 30 at the limit of itsmovement toward therefrigerant line 29.'

- In operation as the temperature rises within the cooling chamber thefluid within'the line 29 will expand and such expansion will L 4 movethe piston-'30 outwardly of the cylinder 28, resulting in arockingmovement of the lever 24 in thedirection of'the arrow 0 and adownward movement at the connection 23 the tank T will be delivered tothe motor M to cause the same to function in order'to operate thecompressor C. As the temperature in the cooling chamber decreases andthe temper'ature of the fluid within the pipe line 29 correspondinglycontracts, the spring 31 will operate to return the piston 30 to itsnormal position whereupon the operation hereinbefore referred to will bereversed and the arm 7 swung into a position to close the valvestructure V whereupon the motor M together with the compressor C willbecome inactive.

In order to facilitate the effective throw of the arm 9 together withthe U-shaped memher or yoke 10, it is to be noted that the end portionof the lever 24 comprised in-the connection 23 is provided with anelongated transversely disposed slot 33 through which is freely directedthe coupling pin 34 carried by the arm 19.

' It is to be noted that an end portion of the cross bar 21 has contactwith the adjacent member 22 at substantially the same moment the crossbar a of the member or yoke 10 con tacts with either set of arms 15. a.From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that amechanical refrigerator constructed in accordance withmy invention isparticularly well adapted for .-use by reason of the convenience andfacility with which it may be assembled and operf'ated, and it will alsobe obvious that my invention is susceptible "of some change andmodification without departing from the principles and spirit thereofand for this reason I.do not wish to be understood as limiting myself tothe precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shownin carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim 1. In combination with a pipe line and a controlling valveinterposed therein, a yoke supported for swinging movement, means for.operatively connecting said .yoke with the .valve to move the valve intoopen position when the yoke moves in one direction and to move the valveinto closed position when said yoke moves in the opposite direction, an

arm supported intermediate its ends for swinging movement, an expansiblespring interposed between an end portion of said arm and the swingingyoke, and means for imparting swinging movement to the arm.

2. In combination with a pipe line and a controlling valve interposedtherein, a yoke supported for swinging movement, means for operativelyconnecting said yoke with the valve to move the valve into open positlonwhen the yoke moves in one direction and to move the valve into closedposition when said yoke moves in the opposite direction, an armsupported intermediate its ends for swinging movement, an expansiblespring interposed between an end portion of said arm and the swingingyoke, and means for imparting swinging movement to the arm, said yokehaving swinging movement under the influence of the sprin upon swingingmovement of the arm a pre etermined distance.

3. In combination with a pipe line and a controlling valve interposedtherein, a yoke supported for swinging movement, means for operativelyconnecting said yoke with the valve to move the valveinto open positionwhen the yoke moves in one direction and to move the valve into closedposition when said yoke moves in the opposite direction, an armsupported intermediate its ends for swinging movement, an. expansiblespring interposed between an end portion of said arm and a the swingingyoke, means for imparting swinging movement to the arm, said yoke havingswinging movement under the influence of the spring upon swingingmovement of the arm' a predetermined distance, and

. means for limiting the swinging movement I of the yoke.

' valve to move the valve into open position,

4. In combination with a pipe controlling valve interposed thereln, ayoke supported for swinging movement, means for operatively connectingsaid 'yoke with the when the yoke moves in one direction and to move thevalve into closed position when said yoke moves in the oppositedirection, an arm supported intermed ate its ends for swinging movement,an expansible spring interposed between an end portion of said arm andthe swinging'yoke, means for imparting swinging movement to the arm,said yoke having swinging movement under the influence of the springupon swinging movement of the arm a predetermined distance, and meansfor limiting the swinging movement of the arm.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

ERWIN KENT EVANS.

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